As AI continues to sweep through creative industries, I was introduced to a relatively new product specifically for video professionals: Colourlab Ai. To learn more, I emailed a series of questions to Dado Valentic, CEO of Colorlab.
Larry: Dado, thanks for sharing your time this close to NAB. How would you describe Colourlab?
Dado: Absolutely! Colourlab Ai is a revolutionary color grading software that utilizes the power of artificial intelligence to transform the way we approach color grading. What sets Colourlab Ai apart from other color grading software is its ability to analyze and learn from vast amounts of footage, allowing it to create unique looks and styles that are tailored to each individual shot. Our software is able to analyze color and tonality in a way that has never been done before, providing users with a series of grading suggestions for their grading. Additionally, our AI algorithms make the grading process faster, more efficient, and more accessible to users of all skill levels.
Larry: Is this a stand-alone app, or a plugin for an NLE? If it’s a plug-in, which NLEs do you support?
Dado: We designed Colourlab Ai to work seamlessly with existing post-production workflows, making it easy for users to integrate it into their existing processes. Our software is compatible with all major editing and color grading software, including DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro X. The actual grading with Ai happens inside our app but the color is passed along to NLE’s using our unique approach to color metadata called X01 that allows seamless color grading integration with no rendering and literally with a click of a button. Premiere and FCP have dedicated plugins that facilitate this process, whale Davinci gets a node tree configuration.
Larry: Why did you create it?
Dado: After more than 20 years of experience working as a professional colorist and having discovered Ai back in 2018, I was ideally positioned to work on software like this. There are countless benefits to using Ai for color grading. First and foremost, Ai is incredibly precise and accurate, allowing colorists to achieve the exact look and feel that they are going for. Additionally, AI algorithms make the grading process faster, more efficient, and more accessible to users of all skill levels. Ai, in combination with the new approach to color metadata, gives users significant improvements in their workflow, with more time to focus on creative decisions and less time spent on tedious tasks.
Larry: Who is your target market, that is, who is most likely to use it?
Dado: Our target market is primarily content creators who are looking for an easier, faster and more efficient way to color grade their content. We understand that not everyone has the time, resources, or expertise to become a professional colorist, which is why we designed Colourlab Ai to be accessible and user-friendly for users of all skill levels. Our software is perfect for content creators who want to achieve high-quality results quickly, without having to spend a lifetime learning how to color grade. Whether you’re a small business owner, a social media influencer, or a professional videographer, Colourlab Ai is designed to help you achieve your vision with ease and precision.
Larry: How is it priced?
Dado: It ranges from only $0.46 per day for solo creators to several thousands of dollars for multi-user media companies.
Larry: How are you integrating AI (machine learning)?
Dado: At Colourlab, we are integrating AI (machine learning) in a variety of ways to deliver the best possible results for our users. Our software utilizes a multitude of different AI models that work together in harmony to achieve optimal performance. We use dedicated image content analysis to analyze each individual frame of footage, custom types of auto-encoders to create unique looks and styles, and semi-supervised and unsupervised types of ML to perform tasks such as color matching, color management, and timeline intelligence.
Larry: How are you training the AI engine – and can editors train it on their own material?
Dado: We do not disclose our specific training methods for our AI models as they are proprietary and a key part of our competitive advantage. Our software also allows editors to influence the results of the color engine through the choice of matching models. However, we are constantly working to improve our software and are currently developing a feature that will allow users to build their color style sheets. This feature will provide users with an even more precise way to achieve their desired results and ensure that the color grading process is more streamlined and efficient.
Larry: AI is increasingly controversial these days, which is NOT Colourlab’s fault. But, the rise of AI has me deeply troubled for the impact it will have on creative media creators and, more importantly, jobs. Yes, it’s a highly useful tool, but when an office assistant can create useful images without a professional background, it seems to me the impact on professionals trying to pay the rent will be profound. How would you respond?
Dado: As the CEO of Colourlab, I understand the concerns around AI and its impact on jobs in the creative media industry. However, I firmly believe that AI is just a tool, and it is ultimately up to the human creator to utilize it to its fullest potential. While AI may be able to assist in creating useful images or automating certain tasks, it cannot replace the creativity, intuition, and unique perspective that only a human being can bring to a project.
In fact, I believe that AI can help to democratize the creative process and empower more people to express themselves through media creation.
Just because someone is an office assistant doesn’t mean that they don’t have a great creative mind, and the fact that AI allows them to create is fantastic. It also doesn’t mean that they will stay an office assistant, but instead, they may be able to move up and get better jobs within their organization or even start their own creative ventures.
At Colourlab, we view AI as a powerful tool that can help people to achieve their creative vision more efficiently and effectively. We are excited to see the new generation of creatives that will emerge in this new world and are committed to developing tools that empower them to express themselves and achieve their full potential.
Larry: What do you see as the future of this application; that is, where are you taking it?
Dado: I am extremely excited about the future of our application and where we are taking it. One aspect that I am particularly excited about is the potential of generative AI. While pure text to video may still be in the early stages of development, we are actively exploring new approaches to color grading that goes beyond color manipulation and allow us to modify the style and even content of the footage.
Our goal is to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI and color grading, and to provide our users with new and innovative tools that enable them to achieve their creative vision. We are also working to make our software more accessible and user-friendly, so that even beginners can achieve professional-quality results with ease.
In the coming years, we plan to continue investing in research and development and to stay at the forefront of the latest advances in AI and machine learning. We are committed to evolving with the needs of our users and the industry and to providing them with the best possible tools to achieve their creative goals.
Larry: What should media professionals do to survive and grow their business as AI continues to overtake creative tasks?
Dado: My advice to media professionals would be to start getting familiar with AI tools and experimenting with them in their spare time. While many AI tools may still be in the prototype stage or technically demanding, it is important to stay ahead of the curve and learn how to use these tools effectively.
In the near future, I believe that there will be two types of professionals in the media industry – those who know how to use AI in their productions and those who don’t. By embracing AI and using it to their advantage, media professionals can stay competitive, streamline their workflows, and achieve better results than ever before.
Larry: To wrap-up, write a one-paragraph commercial for Colourlab. Why should we pay attention?
Dado: Are you tired of spending countless hours color grading your footage with mediocre results? It’s time to take your work to the next level with Colourlab Ai. Our software is making the color grading process faster, more efficient, and more accessible than ever before. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, Colourlab Ai is designed to help you achieve your creative vision with ease and precision. So why wait? Join the thousands of satisfied users and take your content to the next level with Colourlab Ai today.
Larry: Dado, thank you for your time. I wish you and your company success.
Dado: Thank you for having me.
